Safety holder for instruments



Nov. 21, 1950 -w. H. FRASER 2,530,608

SAFETY HOLDER FOR INSTRUMENTS Filed April 23, 1946 INVENTOR. Wz' Z Z 5amHfiaser ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in a safety holder for aninstrument, and it consists of the combinations, constructions andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a safety holder, which isdesigned to hold pens, pencils or other instruments in a garment pocketand is made to prevent these instruments from accidentally dropping outof the pocket.

More specifically described, I propose to fasten a holder at theentrance to agarment pocket. This holder is arranged to have the usualspring clip of a pen, pencil, or other like instrument engagedthereover. The holder engages with the clip and prevents accidentalwithdrawal of the instrument. However. my holder is so constructed thatit will release the instrument for withdrawal when the latter is movedinto a predetermined position relative to the holder.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues,and the novel features of my invention will be set forth in the claimhereunto appended.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had tothe accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of a garment pocket, disclosing my safetyholder applied thereto with a pen and pencil set anchored to the holder;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken through the holder and showing apen cap secured thereto;

Fi ure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but ill strating the cap rockedinto a position to free the spring clin from the holder;

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the holder;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a modified form of my safety holder asapplied to a garment pocket; and

Figure 6 is a transverse section through Figure 5.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it sho ldbe understood that various chan es, or modifications, may be made withinthe scone of my annexed claim without departing from the spirit thereof.

Referring now to the form of my invention as shown in Figures 1 to 4,inclusive, it will be noted that I have provided a safety holderindicated generally at A. This holder is a spring clamplike structurethat is adapted to be secured over the marginal portion I of theentrance to a garment pocket B. The holder includes rear and frontplates 2 and 3, respectively, which are interconnected by a roundedportion 4 extending lengthwise of the holder.

In Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, I have shown a plurality of prongs 5 thatare struck out of the rear plate 2. These prongs are arranged to allowthe holder A to he slipped over the marginal portion l of the garmentpocket, but engage with the garment to prevent the holder from slippingoff of the garment.

The holder A is further'provided with a flange 5 extending lengthwise ofthe front plate 3 and projecting forwardly therefrom at adownwardlyextending angle relative thereto. In Figure 1, I disclose apen C and pencil D, which have been inserted into the garment pocket B.These writing instruments are provided with the usual spring clips 1.Each clip is fashioned with an inturned portion or head la at its freeend, which engages below the flange 6 when the instrument is insertedinto the pocket and the spring clip moved downwardly over the frontplate 3. The inclination of the flange 6 aids in allowing the bead 1a tobe pushed over the flange.

In order to remove the pen C or pencil D from the pocket B, theseinstruments are rocked into a slightly inclined position, as suggested bthe pen cap in Figure 3. During this movement. the rounded portion 4serves as a fulcrum against which the spring clip 1 bears. The inturnedportion or bead la is forced away from the writing instrumentsufficiently to disengage it from the outwardly-extending flange B. Theposition of the writing instrument with respect to the holder A at thistime is illustrated in Figure 3, and the instrument may be withdrawnfrom the pocket.

It will be noted that the holder A actually forms a protector over themarginal portion I of the garment pocket. thus preventing fraying of thelatter due to insertion and withdrawal of the instrument. The pocket Bmay be in a vest, shirt or any other suitable garment.

Turning now to the modification, as disclosed in Figures 5 and 6, I haveshown the cap of the pen C inserted into the pocket B. The safety holderin these views is designated by the reference letter E. The holderincludes a plate 8 that is placed against the outer surface of themarginal portion l of the garment pocket. This plate has a pair ofspring-pressed clamps 9 hinged thereto, as at in. These clamps engagewith the inner surface of the pocket, and are formed with prongs II thatproject toward the plate 8 and engage with the cloth of the pocket.

Springs I2 are accommodated within the housings I3 defined by the hingesH), as shown in Figure 5. The ends 12a of the springs bear against theplate 8, While the spring ends iZb engage with the clamps 9. The springsare coiled in such a manner as to yieldingly urge the clamps 9 towardthe plate 8 and anchor the holder E to the marginal portion l of thepocket.

The plate 8 further is provided with an outwardly"anddownwardly-inclined flange I i along abut against the clip l whenthe writing instru- -'r'n'ent is moved'laterally along the plate 3.

Thus the instrument is prevented from sliding over the ends of theholder Although I have illustrated and described a pen and pencil set,I'de'sire'to point out'that many other instruinentsare provided withspring clips for holding them in garment pockets. These includeengineers'scales,"tire pressure gauges, penshaped flashlights andthermometers. The generic term i'n'strumen ts"vill he used accordinglyinthe attached claim.

Iclai'm:

In a safety holder for secu'ring'an instrument in a garment pocket; aclamp-like member U- s'h'aped in vertical cross section and having aninner plate portion for entering the pocket interior and anouterplateportion of approximately'the same size as the inner one forextending over thefront of the outer surface of the pocket; saidclamp-like member frictionally gripping the front wallo'f the pocket andhaving its outer plate portion'fashioned with a'flange'that projectsoutwardly therefrornjthe flangebeing positioned to iii engage above aninturned portion disposed at the free end of the instrument clip whenthe instrument is inserted into the pocket; the flange preventing theaccidental withdrawal of the instrument from the pocket; the clamp-likemember having an enlarged semi-cylindrical portion interconnecting theinner and outer plate portions; the plate portions being fiat andparalleling one another and being spaced closer together than thediameter of the semi-cylindrical portion; the semi-cylindrical portionserving as a fulcrum about which the instrument clip may be rocked andthe lower edge of the inner plate portion serving as another fulcrumabout which the instrument may be rocked; the instrument and clip whenrocked about their respective fulcrums, moving the inturned end of theinstrument clip away from the body of the instrument, thereby causingthe inturned end of the clip to become disengaged from the flange andthus permit the ready removal of the instrument from the holder andpocket.

VILLIAM I-I. FRASER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 521,259 Davis June 12, 18941,255,156 l-fays-ley Dec. 18, 1917 1 467;328 Eagles et'al Sept. 11, 19231,521,826 Burtchaell Mar. 22, 1927 1,644,616 Shook ct. 1927 1,652,972Beck Dec, 13, 1927 1,785,753 'Wei'sner Dec. 1930 2,226,969 D'G'noirioDec. 31, 1940 2,241,530 Veyn'ar May 18, 1941 2,417,786 Smith Mar. 18,1947 2,422,642 Hornbecl: June 1'5, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 157,520 Australia -Jan. 27, 19 1

